Italy 1934-38

Italy, 1938 WC Final

Coach: Vittorio Pozzo
Achievements: World Cup 1934, 38
Key Players: Meazza, Ferrari, Monti, Piola
Formation: 2-3-5

Two consecutive World Cup wins made Italy football's first European champions. Under the tactical genius Pozzo, with his 'metodo' and 'sistema' systems, Italy produced two stylish and effective teams. The first acheivement may perhaps be somewhat lessened by the fact that the 1934 triumph was at home, under Mussolini's interefence and with dubious refereeing decision. In 1938 though, Italy arrived with an even better team and won their second World Cup in neutral Switzerland and with more style than in 1934, banishing all doubt as to their supremacy.

Pozzo made good use of 'oriundi' (Argentinians of Italian ancestry) but the attacking core of both teams was the inside-forward partnerships of Ferrari and Meazza. The prolific and mult-talented Piola was added in 1938 to spearhead the attack. The oriundi Monti was the defensive lynchpin of 1934 whilst Rava and Foni formed a strong defensive partnership in 1938, as Monzeglio and Allemandi had done in 1934.

Italy 1938

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